Instructions for mastering Phrasal Verbs:

• Read/Listen all example sentences and note the underlined phrasal verbs.
• Practice saying each sentence 4-5 times aloud.
• Look up the same underlined phrasal verb in a Dictionary and note the sample sentences (do not look up a different one).
• Cambridge Dictionary

Phrasal verbs starting with B:

1. She refused to back down, though everybody took exception to what she said (to withdraw charges, accusations, claims, remarks, etc.).
2. Soon, the enemy forces started backing down. (withdrawing).
3. All his efforts ended in failure. But he soon bounced back. (recovered quickly).
4. He was born of Christian parents but brought up (as) a Hindu.
5. Children must be brought up to respect authority/the law.
6. Last night’s wind has brought that tall tree down. (made it to fall).
7. The footballer brought down his opponent with a foul.
8. Don’t put those things on the roof. The weight will bring down the ceiling.
9. The opposition parties finally succeeded in bringing down the government (removing the government from power).
10. They’ve brought the party forward to Friday. Now we are free on Sunday. (advance).
11. They couldn’t bring forward any proof in support of the charges. (produce).
12. The Government is planning to bring in a new law to prevent activities like these. (introduce).
13. His business brings in a huge profit every year. (produces).
14. They’re planning to bring an expert/a specialist in on that job.

Phrasal verbs starting with C:

1. I’m a little busy right now. Can you call back later? (telephone me again).
2. When he phoned, I wasn’t at home, and I called him back as soon as I got back. (returned the telephone call).
3. I had forgotten my charge, and the sales assistant called me back.
4. At last, the rescuers decided to call off the search. (stop…).
5. The storm/sea has calmed down. (become calm).
6. She went on in front and he caught up with her later. (reached where she was).
7. Old age has caught up on him. (changed his outlook, way of life. etc.).
8. Read this magazine – that’ll help you catch up on the latest fashions (get up-to-date with).
9. I can’t come now – I’ve to catch up on/with some filing work/my studies/my reading/my homework.
10. I can’t come now – I have to catch up on some filing work. (make extra efforts to complete this work).
11. We paid the bill and checked out (of the hotel) at 8 in the morning. (left).
12. Can you check out the prices? (find out information about).
13. Have you locked the door? Go back and check (up), will you?
14. The police have been checking up on him (investigating his background).
15. I wanted to check up on how trustworthy he is. (investigate and find out).
16. How many candidates have you checked on so far? (verified the background of).
17. Can I check on the score, please? (verify or confirm it).
18. What he told us doesn’t check up with certain things I know.
19. Your story doesn’t check with the facts.
20. He cheered up when he saw her coming. (became happier).
21. This news will cheer up everybody, I’m sure, (make everybody happier and hopeful).
22. Doctor, is he coming along well? (making progress).
23. Ask him to come down to me at once. There’s something here I want to show him.
24. Her hair comes down to her waist.
25. Nobody liked what he said, and he came in for a lot of criticism/blame. (became the object of).
26. It seems there was an earthquake this morning. News is just coming in.
27. This is a good plan, of course – but where do I come in? (what role do I take on).
28. The way he handled the crisis came in for a lot of admiration/criticism.
29. This question/matter may come up at the meeting tomorrow. (may come to be considered).
30. We were discussing how to do it, and then his name came up. (came to be mentioned).
31. If an opportunity comes up, I’ll speak to him. (occurs).
32. I can’t take on any more staff now. Let some vacancies come up (arise).
33. The court case comes up (will be dealt with in the court).
34. He came up and shook hands with me. (came near).
35. They started out before the sun came up.
36. We’ve come up against some new problems/difficulties. (are faced with…).
37. He/his name has come up for election/re-election to the governing board.
38. The labor policy comes up for review this month.
39. He came up from the ranks and become a colonel.
40. Her daughter comes up to her chin/shoulder/hip/chest.
41. This year’s fair didn’t come up to (my) expectations. [= didn’t reach the level (I) expected].
42. Her report hasn’t come up to the mark (hasn’t reached an acceptable standard).
43. He always comes up with one excuse or other (produces).
44. I think she has cooled off towards him. (become less excited towards).
45. Cool off, will you? (don’t be so excited, be calm).
46. After a few months, her love/passion for him began to cool off. (become weaker).
47. Cross out these names/mistakes/items, will you? (delete them).
48. They’ve decided to cut back (on) production (to reduce).
49. This year, we’ll have to cut our expenses down. (reduce).

Phrasal verbs starting with D:

1. He became very depressed when he lost his job, and he even tried to do away with himself. (kill...).
2. We must do away with all these restrictions. (get rid of).
3. I’m looking for somebody to do up our house. (to modernize and restore it to good condition).
4. She did her room up with posters of film stars. (made it attractive).
5. She gave him a package done up in brown paper. (wrapped…).
6. She put on make-up and a new dress, and did herself up for the party. (made herself attractive).
7. He helped his wife do up her buttons at the back (fasten).
8. His speech dragged on for hours.
9. Drink up. Let’s go. (finish drinking).
10. You haven’t touched your milk? Drink it up, will you? (finish that milk; drink all of it).

Phrasal verbs starting with F:

1. We were responsible for this loss. Let’s face up to this truth (be honest and courageous and accept it).
2. What inspiration they had slowly faded (away/out). (gradually became weaker and disappeared).
3. The mud walls fell apart in the rain. (broke into pieces).
4. Their partnership has fallen apart, I hear.

Phrasal verbs starting with G:

1. I can’t get around like I used to – it’s this arthritis.
2. I’ve been meaning to do it for some time now, but I could only get around to it now (find the time for).
3. I was meaning to phone him, but I never got around to it. (did it).
4. At last, I got around to writing him a letter.
5. I’ve never got around to much traveling.
6. I’m thinking of getting away and spending a week or two by the seaside.
7. I can’t get away from work now. I’ll meet you in the evening.
8. The strain of his job has been too much for him. He should get away from it all. Let him spend a week or two at the seaside.
9. It was a serious offence, but luckily for him, he got away with a fine. (managed to escape severe punishment).
10. If you steal money from the firm, you won’t get away with (escape punishment).
11. Somebody broke into his house and got away with everything he had. (stole and escaped with).
12. He got back only by evening. (returned).
13. He got down into the well to get the bucket back.
14. The boss was trying to get back at me, because I had picked an argument with him. (punish me to have revenge for what I did).
15. I can’t give you a reply over the phone. I’ll get back to you after a few days. (speak/ wright to you in reply).
16. Excuse me, could I get by? (pass; get past).
17. They only have their father’s pension. But they get by. (manage/survive...).
18. She isn’t very beautiful, I know. But she has brains. And she’ll get by. (survive...; be successful in life…).
19. I wonder how they get by on so little money.
20. We can’t get by on just Rs. 5000 a month.
21. This is difficult job. But let’s not put it off. I’ll be glad to get it over (with). (finish doing it).
22. Let’s get together (meet socially; meet for a discussion).
23. They got together and decided to oppose the proposal. (met…).
24. Who gave away the prizes? (distributed).
25. She told the police where we were hiding and gave us away. (betrayed us).
26. The burglar had disguised himself as a policeman, but someone in the bank recognized him and gave him away. (told others who he actually was).
27. He’ll give away their secrets, I’m sure. (tell the secrets to others).
28. We gave away all our old clothes. (gave or distributed free of charge to others).
29. That was Dr. John. He gave me back my eyesight. (made it possible for me to regain…).
30. Can anybody give her back her dead husband? (make it possible for her to have him again).
31. Give me my pen back. (return it to me).
32. How can you go back on your promise? (fail to keep it).
33. He’s gone down/round to the canteen for a cup of coffee.
34. I go in for a reading/stamp collecting. (reading/stamp collecting is my favourite pastime).
35. He really goes in for football. (football is his favourite sport).
36. He has gone in for the law. (chosen it as his career).
37. The fire is going out. Bring some more firewood.
38. When did the light go out? (stop shining).
39. The fire has gone out. (stopped burning).
40. Have those letters gone out to them yet. (been sent).
41. I think long skirts have gone out. (stopped to be fashionable).
42. Most people used to like that style once. But it has gone out.
43. The fire has gone out.
44. The candle flame flickered and went out (died).
45. He hit her and she went out like a light. (became unconscious).
46. When he saw the gun in her hand, all the fight went out of (he no longer had any fight in him).
47. What’s the use of going out of your way to get into trouble?
48. He’s gone out on a business matter. (left to attend to...).
49. She’s been going out with him for about a year now. (having a romantic and even a sexual relationship with him).

Phrasal verbs starting with H:

1. You know how these newspaper reporters are. You can’t hold them off for ever Better meet them now. (prevent them from meeting you and seeking information from you).
2. The border police held off the enemy. till the regular army came (prevented the enemy from defeating them).
3. Our soldiers succeeded in holding the enemy forces/the attack off for a day. (resisting…).
4. The meeting is to start at three 3 o’clock. But he can hold it off for 10 or 15 minutes.
5. The rain held off for a few days. (was delayed, it did not rain, did not occur).
6. The rebels held off for over a month. (delayed their attack, did not attack).
7. Don’t reject the offer outright. Can’t you hold off (making) the decision for weak? (delay it).

Phrasal verbs starting with J:

1. This is the second time he’s jacking up her salary this year. (raising).
2. Oh, I like this game. Can I join in? (take part in it).

Phrasal verbs starting with K:

1. He was ill and he kept away from work for a week. (did not go to work).
2. Ask the children to keep away from the guests/the fire. (not to go near).
3. Keep away/back – those are dangerous rocks.
4. Keep him away from there, will you? (don’t let him go there).
5. Keep him away from the guests.
6. This is poison. Keep it away from (keep it where children can’t reach it).
7. That roll of film – keep it away from the fire.
8. It’s been ages since they came here. What’s keeping them away? (what’s preventing them from coming here).
9. The police found it difficult to keep the crowd away from the film stars/the scene of the accident. (stop them from going near...).
10. If only the rain kept off for a few more days! (did not begin).
11. The doctor has advised him to keep away from alcohol/cigarettes/drink/fatty foods. (not to drink…, eat…, smoke…, etc.)
12. Let’s keep off (the subject of) politics – let’s talk about something else.
13. His doctor has asked him to keep off solid foods and to drink plenty of fluids.
14. We’ve planted seeds in some parts of the fields, and we’ll have to keep birds off those parts.
15. Don’t keep the wet clothes on – you may catch a cold! (continue wearing).
16. His raincoat has a hood, and it keeps out wind and rain.
17. Keep out of the rain (avoid).
18. I don’t know how to keep these boys out of (ensure that they avoid).
19. Look, you must keep his name out of all this.
20. You’ll have to knock the powder out (of the tin) and then clean the tin. (remove the powder from the tin and empty it by knocking it against something).
21. She had a bad experience last month, and it has knocked all the laziness out of her. (caused her to lose it).

Phrasal verbs starting with L:

1. She’s my sister – lay off her, I’m warning you. (stop annoying, troubling or molesting her).
2. Lay off bullying, can’t you? (stop).
3. She has left out a few important words while copying the passage.
4. They left him out of the team. (didn’t include him in…).
5. Leave me out of your quarrels. (don’t include or mention me in).
6. Let’s leave politics out of this discussion.
7. They levelled (off/out) the old house and built a new multi-storey building there. (knocked it down).
8. The builders have just started leveling (off/out) the ground. (making it flat).
9. A few minutes after it took off, the plane levelled off/out. (reached a horizontal level and started traveling at that level).
10. Cement prices have been going up steadily for some time now, and they still show no sign of leveling
11. But towards the last part of his career, he gave in to temptations and failed to live up to his high principles. (reach the standard he had set for himself or is expected of him).
12. Be a man, and live up to your responsibilities.
13. When is this year’s annual meeting? I’am looking forward to it (think about it or anticipate it with pleasure).
14. Look out! There’s a car coming.
15. He looked out across the paddy fields.
16. He was looking out for his father. (searching carefully for).
17. The train is a bit early today, isn’t it? I have to look out for my grandfather. (watch or search carefully for).
18. He looked out of the window.
19. He stood there looking out of the door for some time.
20. Our hotel looks out on the sea/the river.

Phrasal verbs starting with M:

1. Are you going to get it typed by him? He’ll mess it up. (=do it badly mishandle it).

Phrasal verbs starting with O:

1. He opted out of the committee. (chose not to take part in…).

Phrasal verbs starting with P:

1. She waved at me and then passed on. (walked forward without stopping).
2. He passed over the topic with just a few words. (avoided it or avoided to deal with it).
3. Your hunch paid off. That wasn’t his real name.
4. He got out of the taxi and paid off the driver.
5. That was a very good idea, and it paid off. (succeeded, worked, produced the desired effect).
6. I wasn’t satisfied with his work, and I paid him off. (paid him his wages in full and terminated his service).
7. They’ve paid off their debts. (repaid in full the money they owed, settled the debts).
8. I had to take on extra work to pay off the bank loan.
9. He didn’t say what his opinion is. I tried hard, but I couldn’t pin him down on it. (get him to define his position).
10. I have a feeling that we can’t trust him. I can’t pin down (define exactly).
11. Plug in the kettle, will you? Let’s make some tea. (connect it with the electricity supply using a plug).
12. There were a few mistakes, and he pointed them out. (directed a person’s attention to them).
13. Don’t get me wrong. I’m just pointing out
14. The train pulled out at 2:30 or so. (leave).
15. Our bus pulls out from Secunderabad at 4 o’clock.
16. He has decided to pull out of active politics. (withdraw from, retire from).
17. The accident happened a few minutes after the train/bus had pulled out of the station.
18. She came running as the train was pulling out of the station (leaving).
19. They pulled her out of the water and rescued her.
20. He/The car pulled out to overtake.
21. Let’s pull together and fight for human rights. (combine our efforts and work together – using all our abilities).
22. Many people pushed by They were trying to crush into the front seats. (moved past him by pushing him out of the way or by pressing against him).
23. Governments servants are going to get an increase in their pay. And this will push up the price of everything. (force the price of everything to increase at a steady rate).
24. He has been a mental patient for some time now. Last month, he turned violent, and they had to put him away. (keep him shut up in a mental home).
25. He’s got a tidy sum put away in the bank. (saved).
26. He has already put away three plates of roast chicken, and he’s asking for more. (eaten).
27. He put away two bottles of beer and half a bottle of whiskey. (drank).
28. He put the book/glass down.
29. She saw him there, but she didn’t know he was a Judge. She put him down as a clerk or something. (took him to be).
30. He was willing to use any dirty trick to put his critics down. (sense).
31. The conductor stopped the bus and put me down at the corner. (allowed me to get off the bus).
32. I found her grandfather’s behaviour a bit strange. But I put it down to his age. (regarded it as being due to or caused by).
33. (At a shop where you have an account): How much has the bill come to? Put it down to my account, will you? (enter the amount in an account that you keep in my name)
34. He put his success largely down to hard work.
35. The meeting has been put forward to this month. [= moved to this month (from a later month) – that is, moved to an earlier month]
36. Put in the money after selecting.
37. They’re putting in new plumbing in their house. (Installing).
38. I put in a few days reading up on the subject. (spent).
39. You’ve all the qualifications, don’t you? Why don’t you put in an application (for this job)? (summit or make).
40. She spoke to him very rudely, and he was very put out by (upset. annoyed).
41. They arrived quite unexpectedly, and it put us out a bit. (inconvenienced us; spoil our arrangements or make them difficult).
42. The anaesthetist put her out in a few seconds. (made her unconscious).
43. Put out the light, will you? (switch them off; make them stop working).
44. After cooking the meal, we put the fire out. (made the fire stop burning).
45. Put that cigarette/fire/candle/light out.
46. Last week, he fell somewhere and put his knee out. (dislocated).
47. The police have put out a detailed description of the chief suspect. They’ve also offered a reward for information about him. (issued the description to the general public).
48. He put together an essay in half an hour.
49. He taught them to take the radio to pieces and to put it together (assemble, fit the parts together into a whole).

Phrasal verbs starting with R:

1. He lets his emotion run away with him. (gain complete control of).
2. This new project runs away with a lot of money. (uses up, consumes).
3. His car ran over a cat and killed it.
4. I’ll meet you in half an hour. I want to run over my speech. (read it or say it quickly – aloud or in my mind).

Phrasal verbs starting with S:

1. He’s saving (up) for a motor bike.
2. The only way to raise our profit is to scale our expenses down at least by 10%. (reduce it by this proportion).
3. Don’t trust him. He won’t hesitate to sell out to the competition, (betray us; secretly sell the important information to).
4. His daughter’s wedding set him back more than Rs. 5 lakhs. (cost him).
5. The dinner party set him back quite a list.
6. Summer seems to have set in. (begun and is likely to continue).
7. Long skirts seem to have set in once again. (they seem to be in fashion, and this fashion is likely to continue).
8. He then set out to revise for his exam. (began working with the intention of completing the revision).
9. Our company has set up a private pension scheme. (instituted, started).
10. Once boundary stones are set up, they’re regarded as sacred.
11. This school was set up in 1980. (established, started).
12. Have you set up the flag? (put it in an upright position).
13. After our dinner, we went to the living room and settled down to watch the TV. (made ourselves comfortable; sat down comfortably).
14. Don’t make so much noise. Be quiet, will you? Settle down and read something. (become calm and quiet).
15. How long are you planning to remain unmarried like this? Don’t you want to settle down? (marry and begin a responsible and stable married life).
16. After our dinner, we settled down to sleep in the tent.
17. He wanted to settle down in a job in his home-town. (establish himself permanently in).
18. He picked up a novel and settled down in an armchair. (sat down comfortably in).
19. He has settled down to his new job. (become established in).
20. There’s so much noise going on, I can’t settle down to my work. (give my attention to).
21. We’re planning to give a house-warming party when we’ve settled in. (moved into our new house and made ourselves comfortable there).
22. It took a few moments for the announcement to sink in. (to be absorbed and fully understood).
23. I have been trying to smooth the crisis over. (to make it less serious).
24. He started flattering her – he wanted to soften her up and sell some of his things to her. Most door-to-door salesman are like that, I think. (to weaken her resistance and to make her become kind to him – in order to persuade her).
25. There’s nothing/to worry about. The situation/problem will sort itself out
26. It’ll take time for these things to sort themselves out.
27. After breakfast, he set to work sorting out his safe/box/drawer.
28. So they’ve been telling lies to me. I think I’ll have to sort them out (deal with them; punish them).
29. I think he has got into trouble with the police again. You’ll have to go and sort it out. (deal with and find a solution to the problem).
30. I want to sound out my wife about the flat. I’ll decide about buying it only after that. (try and find out her opinion, attitude, intention, etc.).
31. His philosophy has been spelt out in this book. (made clear).
32. Oh, you’re the limit! Do I have to spell out everything for you? Can’t you use your head? (explain everything in simple terms – to make them very clear and easy to understand).
33. I couldn’t just stand by and watch. They were hitting my brother, you see. (remain inactive, watching something happening – without doing anything – when action is needed).
34. We must have some policeman standing by – we can’t rule out the possibility of trouble, you know. (be present and waiting – ready for action if necessary).
35. I was in a difficult situation then. But he stood by (supported me; remained loyal to me; did not desert me).
36. I stand by my promise. I’ll never go back on it. (continue to be true to; to support).
37. I want this job as badly as you. How can you expect me to stand down? (withdraw my application…).
38. He has been in this position for too long. Ask him to stand down in favour of someone else. (resign).
39. The shapes were carved in such a way that they stood out from the background.
40. Why did he go there at night at all? This is one circumstance that stands out above everything, in my opinion. (is more important than other circumstances, and so, obvious).
41. That black scar on her face stands out clearly, doesn’t it? Maybe, that’s because she has a fair complexion. (can be easily seen or noticed).
42. Bhasin stands out from all our medical scientists. (…obviously seen or understood as of outstanding or high quality).
43. He’s ill with flu. He’ll have to stay in for a few days. (remain at home and not go outside).
44. I’m trying to get another job. I don’t want to stay in advertising/teaching/journalism
45. I stayed in (the house) all day yesterday. I didn’t go out anywhere
46. After his BA, he stayed on at college to do his MA. (continued to remain at college for an extra length of time – after others had left).
47. I’m going to want you for a while. Stick around.
48. Don’t go away. Stick around – I’ll be back in 10 minutes. (remain here or near here – waiting for me).
49. Let’s stick around – the procession is about to start.

Phrasal verbs starting with T:

1. ‘10’ take away ‘2’ is ‘8’. (when ‘2’ is removed or subtracted from it).
2. They took her son away from her. (removed him from).
3. Take this tablet. It’ll take away the pain. (make the pain disappear).
4. He’s taken the burden/responsibility away from me, and that’s a relief.
5. If we take ‘495’ away from ‘1232’, how much have we left?
6. We dismissed him because he took the bribe from one of our customers. There’s no question of our taking him back. (agreeing to have him as our employee once again).
7. They’ve split up, you know. I don’t think she’ll take him back. (agree to have him as her boyfriend again or as her husband again).
8. How dare you accuse me like that? Now take it back! (withdraw).
9. We don’t take back things we’ve sold. [= (agree to) accept things that we’ve sold and that buyers return)].
10. The workers took the scaffolding down when they finished whitewashing the building. (separated it into pieces – in order to remove it).
11. Have you taken down yesterday’s lecture? (written it down).
12. Can you take that bottle down from the top shelf, please? (get it from that high level).
13. He has taken on an American accent. (begun to have).
14. The bus stopped and took on a few passengers. (took them on board).
15. I think it is high time the management took on the union. (deal boldly with).
16. We’re short of staff. We’re planning to take on a few more of them. (accept a few more people as employees; employ them).
17. We’ll have to take on a secretary for our General Manager.
18. Let’s take on a few more new students this year. (enrol).
19. Let’s have a game of chess. Can you take me on, Madhav? (accept me as an opponent).
20. You know, this is the year-end. You’ll have to take on some extra work. (agree to do and start; undertake).
21. You must take out a driving license. (pay for and get).
22. Use this washing powder. It’ll take out most stains. (remove).
23. Can you take this dress out a bit at the waist? (make it wider by sewing).
24. I want to take my wife out for dinner tonight. (taken her outside for).
25. He said he swam across the river and she took him up on (questioned him; argued with him about it).
26. They challenged our club to a match and we took them up on (accepted the challenge).
27. Everyone in his office hits him, because he always talks down to them. (talks to them as if they were socially or intellectually inferior to him).
28. Let’s talk it over and come to our decision.
29. He had agreed to do it. Then she came along and talked him out of it.
30. I wanted to sell the car, but she talked me out of it. (persuaded me not to do it by talking to me, arguing with me and discussing with me).
31. They had a good chance of winning the third game. But they threw it away. (lost it by foolishness or neglect).

Phrasal verbs starting with W:

1. These tyres have worn down – you must buy new ones. (gradually become thinner, etc. through continuous pressure, friction, etc.)
2. Can you wipe out this basin? (clean the inside of it with a cloth).
3. They haven’t wiped out the overdraft yet. (cleared it by repaying it).
4. Prices have gone up – and that has wiped out the rise in wages. (caused it to have no effect or value; removed its effects).
5. They had a good stock of paper and cardboard at the warehouse.
6. The fire wiped it out. (destroyed the stock completely).
7. Do you think it’ll be possible for the government to wipe out corruption? (put an end to).